1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a printing system including an information processing apparatus, a method for controlling the information processing apparatus, and a computer program.
2. Description of the Related Art
A recent advanced printing system includes various office automation (OA) devices, such as personal computers and image forming apparatuses, which can communicate with each other via a network. In general, the printing system provides an environment allowing a plurality of users to commonly use an image forming apparatus.
If a print job is input to a printing system that performs printing, the printing system records various logs according to print results. For example, the printing system records detailed print setting information as well as fundamental information (e.g., user name, date/time, and file name of print data).
The usage of a recorded log is not limited to confirmation of a history of print processing. For example, a log is usable for re-inputting a print job and usable for accounting.
As discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-118243, to satisfy a requirement of enhancing the security, a printing system records a printed image which is appropriately reduced or compressed and, if an accident (leakage of information) occurs, traces the leaked information based on the recorded image.
As discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-159565, a printing system uses a log to restrict an operation of each user according to an environment. For example, a printing system can restrict the number of color printing sheets during a limited period of time.
The usage of a log in a conventional printing system is mostly limited to the trace of information or restriction of usable functions to improve the usability of an administrator who manages the printing system.
However, the above-described conventional printing systems do not utilize log(s) to improve the usability of each user who operates a printing system to execute print processing.
In general, the act is useful if many users conduct or follow in similar ways. For example, in an environment including two or more printing apparatuses connected to a network, users tend to operate a specific printing apparatus having highly advanced functions.
A log stored in a printing system is a history of user's behavior and can be used in a detailed analysis to check other user's act and intent in printing a document.